Kalanchoe plant named ‘Justine’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Kalanchoe  plant named ‘Justine’, characterized by its medium size, upright, uniform and moderately vigorous growth habit; medium-sized dark green-colored leaves with undulate margins; uniform and freely flowering habit; medium-sized dark pink-colored flowers; and excellent postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana.

Cultivar denomination: ‘JUSTINE’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Kalanchoe plant, botanically known as Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Justine’.

The new Kalanchoe plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hinnerup, Denmark. The objective of the breeding program is to create new uniform Kalanchoe plants with attractive foliage and flower coloration.

The new Kalanchoe plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Hinnerup, Denmark in July, 2006, of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Cora’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,301, as the female, or seed parent with a proprietary selection of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana identified as code number KJ 2003 2355, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Kalanchoe plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Hinnerup, Denmark in March, 2007.

Asexual reproduction of the new Kalanchoe plant by vegetative terminal cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Hinnerup, Denmark since May, 2007 has shown that the unique features of this new Kalanchoe plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Kalanchoe have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature, daylength and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Justine’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Justine’ as a new and distinct Kalanchoe plant:

-   -   1. Medium in size, upright, uniform and moderately vigorous         growth habit.     -   2. Medium-sized dark green-colored leaves with undulate margins.     -   3. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Medium-sized dark pink-colored flowers.     -   5. Excellent postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the female parent, ‘Cora’. Plants of the new Kalanchoe differ from plants of ‘Cora’ primarily in flower color as plants of ‘Cora’ have pink-colored flowers. In addition, leaves of plants of the new Kalanchoe have undulate margins whereas leaves of plants of ‘Cora’ have crenate margins.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Kalanchoe differ from plants of the male parent selection primarily in flowering habit as plants of the new Kalanchoe are more uniformly flowering than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Kalanchoe can be compared to plants of Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Dark Cora’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,938. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hinnerup, Denmark, plants of the new Kalanchoe differed from plants of ‘Dark Cora’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Kalanchoe had undulate margins         whereas leaves of plants of ‘Dark Cora’ had crenate margins.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Kalanchoe were dark pink in         color whereas flowers of plants of ‘Dark Cora’ were light red         purple in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Kalanchoe plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Kalanchoe plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Justine’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet comprises close-up views of typical vegetative (upper left) and generative (upper right) leaves; upper (center left) and side (center right) perspective views of typical flowers; and side perspective views of a typical flowering stems (bottom) of ‘Justine’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the winter and spring in 10-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Hinnerup, Denmark and under conditions which closely approximate commercial Kalanchoe production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 19° C., night temperatures averaged 21° C. and light levels ranged from 10 kilolux to 50 kilolux. Unrooted cuttings were directly stuck in 10-cm containers and received long day/short night conditions (more than 14 hours of light) for about four weeks; plants then received photoinductive short day/long night conditions (minimum 14 hours darkness) until flowering. Plants were 16 weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Justine’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Cora’,             disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,301.         -   Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Kalanchoe             blossfeldiana identified as code number KJ 2003 2355, not             patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative terminal cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two weeks at             temperatures of 19° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at             temperatures of 19° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three             weeks at temperatures of 19° C. to 21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 24 days             at temperatures of 19° C. to 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant habit.—Upright, uniform and moderately vigorous growth             habit.; very freely flowering with numerous compound cymes;             inverted triangle with rounded crown; appropriate for 6 to             13-cm containers.         -   Plant height at flowering.—About 20 cm to 27 cm.         -   Plant diameter at flowering.—About 22 cm.         -   Branching habit.—About three to five lateral branches             develop per plant; pinching (removal of the terminal apex)             is not required but will enhance lateral branch development. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 8 cm to 12 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 4 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 1 cm to 1.5 cm.         -   Aspect.—Erect.         -   Strength.—Strong.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—Close to 146B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple; generally symmetrical.         -   Length, vegetative plants.—About 8 cm to 11 cm.         -   Width, vegetative plants.—About 5 cm to 11 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Obtuse.         -   Base.—Cuneate to cordate.         -   Margin.—Shallow to medium serrations, undulate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Glabrous, leathery;             succulent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:             Close to 147A; venation, close to 147A. Developing and fully             expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation,             close to 147B.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 5 mm to 10 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm             to 8 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to 147A. Color, upper             surface: Close to 147B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Single flowers             arranged in compound dichasial cymes that arise from leaf             axils; uniform and freely flowering habit with usually about             20 to 50 flowers per inflorescence.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Kalanchoe flower             from April to October when grown in an outdoor nursery.             Flower initiation and development can also be induced under             artificial short day/long conditions (at least 14 hours of             darkness) for year-round production in a greenhouse             environment.         -   Time to flower.—Under short day/long night photoinductive             conditions, about 68 (summer) to 90 (winter) days are             required; actual time to flower is primarily dependent upon             temperature and light intensity.         -   Post-production longevity.—Excellent post-production             longevity; plants maintain good foliage and flower substance             for about six to eight weeks under interior environmental             conditions; flowers not persistent.         -   Flower buds.—Shape: Ellipsoidal. Length: About 1.4 cm.             Diameter: About 4 mm. Color: Close to 48A.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 5 cm to 10 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 5 cm to 9 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 1.5 cm to 2.2 cm.         -   Flower length (height).—About 1.2 cm.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: About four in a single whorl fused at             the base. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 8 mm. Aspect:             Upright to eventually perpendicular to the pedicel. Shape:             Ovate. Apex: Apiculate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When opening, upper             surface: Close to 52A. When opening, lower surface: Close to             55B and 56C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 52B;             color becoming closer to 57C with development. Fully opened,             lower surface: Close to 55B and 56C.         -   Sepals.—Appearance: Four fused at the base. Length: About             1 cm. Width: About 3 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute.             Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth; glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces:             Close to 146B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1 cm to 6 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Aspect: Erect to about 60° from vertical. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146D.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 2 mm to 2.5 mm. Diameter: About             2 mm. Aspect: Erect to about 90° from vertical. Strength:             Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Stamen number: About six to             nine per flower. Anther shape: Elliptic to oblong. Anther             size: About 1 mm by 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 22B. Amount             of pollen: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 20A. Gynoecium:             Pistil number: About four per flower. Pistil length: About             1.1 cm. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color: Close to             N145A. Stigma shape: Round. Stigma color: Close to N145A.             Ovary color: Close to 144B.         -   Seed.—Seed development has not been observed on plants of             the new Kalanchoe. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Kalanchoe have been     observed to tolerate temperatures from about 5° C. to about 30° C. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Kalanchoe have not been     observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to     Kalanchoes. 

1. A new and distinct Kalanchoe plant named ‘Justine’ as illustrated and described. 